Luggage carrier



im. 29, 1924. www@ J. ZILLKOX LUGGAGE CARRIER Filed Dec. 2l. 1921Patented Jan. 29, 1924.

STATES,

JOHN ZILLIOX, OF ORCHARD PARK, YORK.

LUGGAGE CARRIER.

Application filed December 21, 1921. Serial No. 523,981.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN ZILLIOX, a citizenof the United States, residing in @n chard Park, in the county of Erieand Sta-te of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements inLuggage Carriers, of which the follow-ing isa specification..

This invention relates to a luggage carrier which is more particularlydesigned for use on the running boards of automobiles and similar placesso that luggage or baggage may be conveniently carried upon the same.

It is'the objectof this invention to provide a luggage carrier which canbe ,compactly folded and stowed away when not in use, but which whenassembled and mounted on the running board of a car will pro-vide arigid, strong and reliable support for the baggage which is to becarried', and yet is simple and comparatively inexpensivev inconstruction.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of my improved luggage carrier assembledready for use. Figure 2 isfa perspective view of the several parts ofthis luggage carrier dismembered and folded compactly ready for storage.F igure. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section, on an enlarged scale`taken on line 3-3, Fig. 1 and showing the brace locked in its operativeposition on the base. Figure 4 is a similar view, but showing the braceunlocked and partly disconnected. Figure 54isa fragmentary verticalsection taken online 5 5, Fig. 1, showing the brace in its operativeunfolded position relative to` the ad# jacent standard. Figure 6' is asimilar view, but showingfthe brace and standardlfolded relatively toeach other. Figure 7 Vis a fragmentary vertical section taken on line7-7, Fig. 1 and showing the lower end of one of the standards coupledwith theA base ready for use. Fig-ure 8isa similar view of the standardand base separated from each other preparatory to` stowlng away theluggage carrier when the same isvnot required" for use.

Similar characters off reference refer to` like l parts throughout the`severalvviews.

In its generalorganizationthis luggage carrier'comprisesa plurality ofbases which arel preferably'constructed in the lform of clamps andadapted to be detachably secured to the running board of a car, stand'ards rising from these bases and detachably connected therewith, braceseach of which detachably connects the upper end of one of the standardswith the inner end of one of the bases, and a foldable wall whichconnects the two standards and which permits `of lengthening orshortening the .luggage carrier as a whole to the particular place wherethe same isto be used.

Each of the supporting bases in its preferred form preferably comprisesan upper jaw or arm 10 which is adapted to be arranged transversely onthe upper side of the running board of a car, a lower jaw or arm 11adapted to be arranged transversely underneath the running board, anupright web 12'connected with the outer ends of the jaws 10 and 11 and avertical clamping screw 13 arranged in a threaded opening atthe innerend of the lower jaw 11. v

This base is moved inwardly upon the running board ofa car untilits webl2 engages with the outer edge thereof and then the clamping screw 13 istightened so as to draw the upper jaw 10 against theV upper side of thelruiming board while the screw 13 bears against the underside of thesame.

Each of the standards is preferably constructed in the form 0f anupright bar 14 of metal and has its lower end detachably connected withthe outer end of the base. this being preferably accomplished. byproviding the outer side of the webI 12 of the base with a button havinga contracted neck 15 and an enlarged head 16 at the outer end of4 theneck and providing` the lower end ofthe respective standard with alongitudinal slot 17 extending to the'lower end thereof.

F orthe purpose of attaching this standard vto therespective base thestandard is pushed with its lower- (forked end downwardly astride theneck 15 of the buttonuntil` the upperend of the slot 17 therein bearsagainst the upper side of the neck and the lower part of this standardis coufined between the head 16 of this button of. This brace isdetach'ably connected at its lower end with the inner end of the basearm 10 by means which are preferably constructed as follows:

19 represents the neck of a button projecting upwardly from the innerpart of the base arm 1() and 2O the enlarged head at the upper end ofthis neck. At the lower end of the brace 18 the saine is provided with alaterally projecting toe 21 and at the angle between the body of thisbrace and its toe is formed a key hole slot, the narrow portion 22 ofwhich is formed in .the toe 2l, while the enlarged part 28 thereof isformed in the lower' end of the adjacent body portion of the brace 18.For the purpose of coupling this brace with the base arm 10 the toe isplaced upon the base arm 10 in such a position that the head 20 of theresper tive coupling button is arranged within the enlarged portion 28of the key hole slot in the respective brace, as shown in Fig. 4. Uponnow moving the lower end of the brace outwardly, the narrow part 22 ofthis key hole slot will be engaged with the neck 19 of this couplingbutton and the head 20 of the latter will overhang the upper side of thetoe 21, as shown in Fig. 3 and at the right hand side of Fig. 1, therebyholding the brace 18 and the upper base arm 1() against verticaldisplacement relatively to each other.

This brace is locked in this position while the luggage carrier is inuse by means of a detent or latch 24 which is pivoted by means of arivet 25 or otherwise, to the outer lower part of the respective braceand swung downwardly so as to be interposed between the brace 18 and thebutton head 20, as shown in Fig. 3 and at the right hand side of Fig. 1.As long as the parts are in this position, each of the braces will besecurely coupled with the upper part of its face and when it is desiredto detach this brace from its base preparatory to knocking down theluggage carrier and stowing the same away, this can be readily done byfirst swinging this detent from its lower interlocking position shown inFig. 8 to its upper inoperative position out of engagement from thebutton head 23, as shown in Fig. 4, after which the coupling button 19,20 may be withdrawn from the key hole slot 22, 28 and the partsdisinembered ready for packing.

The upper end of each brace 18 is pivotally connected with the upper endof one of the standards 14 by means which will permit these parts toswing freely relatively to each other for folding or unfolding the same,but still permanently connecting them and forming a joint therebetweenwhich will render the luggage carrier rigid while in use. In itspreferred form this pivotal connection is constructed as follows:

On the upper inner side of each standard is mounted a button whichprojects inwardly therefrom and which has a reduced neck 26 connectedwith the standard and an enlarged head 27 at the inner end of this neck.At the upper end of the brace 18 the same is provided with an inwardlyoff set lip 28 which is curved in the direction of the length of thebrace and engages its convex outer side with the upright flat inner sideof the respective standard 14 and is also provided with a longitudinalslot 29 which receives the neck 26 of the adjacent coupling button whilethe head 27 of this button engages with the inner side of the lip 28. Inthe operative position of the brace 18 the lip 28 is drawn downwardlyuntil the upper end of the slot 29 enga-ges with the neck 2G of thisbutton and the brace is turned so that its body is arranged at an angleand extends from the upper end of the standard 14 to the inner end ofthe base bar or j aw' 10. When folding the luggage carrier the brace 18is swung outwardly toward the inner side of the standard 14 so that thesame is parallel therewith and also moves slightly upwardly during whichtime the convex face of the lip 28 slides on the inner side of thestandard and this brace is shifted so that the inner end of the slot 29of this lip engages with the underside of the button neck 26, as shownin Fig. 6.

The wall of the luggage carrier is pref erably constructed so as to becapable of expansion and contraction lengthwise of the running board ofthe car t0 suit the length of the same or adapt it to other conditions.For this purpose, the side wall is preferably constructed of two pairsof folding bars which are connected with each other and with thestandards 14. In the preferred construction the bars and 31 of each paircross each other and are pivotally connected at the crossing by means ofa rivet 32 or other suitable means and the bar 80 has its lower outerend pivotally connectedby means of a rivet 88 with the lower part of oneof the standards while its upper end is pivotally connected by means ofa rivet 34 or otherwise with the upper end of the wall bar 30 of theother pair. The folding bar 81 of cach pair is pivotally connected atits inner end by a rivet 85 or otherwise, with the inner end of the bar81 of the other pair. and its outer endv is slidingly connected with theupper part of one of the standards, this be ing preferably accomplishedby a rivet 35 arranged on the upper outer end of the bar 31 and movingin a vertical slot 36 in the upper part of the respective standard, asshown in Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6.

When the luggage carrier is in use and the two standards 14 are spreadapart the wall bars 30, 31 are unfolded and the upper ends of the bars31 slide downwardly on the upper ends of the standards until the rivetsreach the lower ends of the slots 36, as shown in F igs. 1 and 5. Uponmoving the two standards 14, 14 toward each other preparatory to foldingthe luggage carrier and storing the same, the two pairs of wall bars 30,31 are folded relatively to each other and the-outer ends of the bars 31slide outwardly on the bars 14 until the guide rivets 35 therev ofengage the outer ends of the slots 36 in the standards, as shown in Fig.6.

In the dismembered and contracted position of the several parts of theluggage carrier ready for stowing the same away, the two standards aremoved toward each other to their fullest extent so as to fold the sidewall, the lower ends of the standards are detached from the outer endsof the clamping bases and the braces are detached at their Vlower endsfrom the guiding faces and moved inwardly toward the standards in whichcondition these parts may be arranged close together, as shown in Fig.for stowing away in a comparatively small space when not required foruse.

When, however, these parts are assembled and mounted on the runningboard of a car ready for use, the same forms a Very rigid and durablestructure which will effectively carry the load which may be placedwithin the same.

This luggage carrier is comparatively simple in construction, the samehas no delicate parts which are liable to get out of order, and the samecan be readily put up or knocked down without the use of any specialtools for this purpose.

I claim as my invention:

1. A luggage carrier comprising a horizontal base, a standard connectedat its lower end with one end of said base and provided at its upper endwith a button having a reduced neck and an enlarged head, and a bracedetachably connected at its lower end with the opposite end of said baseand provided at its Lipper end with a curved lip which engages itsconvex side with said standard and which has a longitudinal slotreceiving the neck of said button.

2. A luggage carrier comprising a horizontal base, provided at one ofits ends with an upwardly projecting button having a reduced neck and anenlarged head, and a brace having an inclined body pivotally connectedat its upper end with the upper end of said standard and provided at itslower end with a horizontal toe adapted to rest on the opposite end ofsaid base and having a key-hole slot the narrow part of which isarranged lengthwise in said toe and adapted to receive said neck and theenlarged part of which is arranged in said body adjacent to its toe andis adapted to form a passage for said head.

3. A luggage carrier comprising a horizontal base provided at one of itsends with an upwardly projecting button having a reduced neck and anenlarged head, a brace having an inclined body pivotally connected atits upper end with the upper end of said standard and provided at itslower end with a horizontal toe adapted to rest on the opposite end ofSaid base and having a keyhole slot the narrow outer part of which isarranged lengthwise in said toe andy is adapted to receive the neck ofsaid button and the wide part of which is adapted to form a passage forsaid head, and a deten'rl arranged on said body and adapted to engagewith the inner side of said head.

4. A luggageY carrier comprising a hor izontal base provided at one ofits ends with an upwardly projecting button having a reduced neck and anenlarged head, a brace having an inclined body pivotally connected atits upper end with the lupper end of said standard and provided at itslower end with a horizontal toe adapted to rest on the opposite end ofsaid base and having a keyhole slot the narrow outer part of which isarranged lengthwise in said toe and is adapted to receive the neck ofsaid button and the wide part of which is adapted to form a passage forsaid head, and a detent pivoted on said body and adapted to t betweenthe inner side of said head and the adjacent side of the body of thebrace.

JOHN ZILLIOX.

